Application Guide
How to Apply for Technical Lead, Sustainability Services (Regenerative Agriculture and Climate) - Temporary
at Winrock International
🏢 About Winrock International
Winrock International is a mission-driven nonprofit that designs and implements innovative solutions across social, agricultural, and environmental development. Its Environment and Climate team is a recognized leader in climate-smart agriculture and carbon accounting, partnering with food and agriculture companies to meet net-zero goals. Working here means contributing to real-world decarbonization and regenerative agriculture at scale, with a global impact.
About This Role
As a Technical Lead in Sustainability Services, you will advise food, land, and agriculture (FLAG) clients on decarbonization and regenerative agriculture strategies, ensuring alignment with GHG calculation methodologies and standards like the GHG Protocol and SBTi. You will also track evolving standards and provide technical guidance on a broad range of climate and agricultural topics. This temporary role (until March 2027) is fully remote but requires residency in specific states and working EST/CT hours.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve leading a client call to discuss their GHG inventory and decarbonization roadmap, then analyzing data to ensure alignment with SBTi criteria. You could also spend time researching updates to the GHG Protocol, preparing technical guidance documents, and collaborating with internal teams on project deliverables. Expect a mix of client-facing advisory, technical analysis, and standards tracking.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Winrock International Is Looking For
- 5+ years of experience in agricultural GHG accounting, climate-smart agriculture, or regenerative agriculture, with deep knowledge of GHG Protocol, SBTi, and other relevant standards.
- Proven ability to advise corporate clients in the food and agriculture sector on decarbonization strategies and regenerative practices.
- Strong analytical skills and experience with GHG calculation tools (e.g., COMET-Farm, Cool Farm Tool) and data management.
- Excellent communication and project management skills, with the ability to work collaboratively in a remote, cross-functional team.
📝 Tips for Applying to Winrock International
Highlight your direct experience with FLAG sector clients and specific GHG standards (GHG Protocol, SBTi) in your resume and cover letter—Winrock values technical credibility.
Emphasize any work you've done on regenerative agriculture projects, especially those involving carbon sequestration or soil health, as this is central to the role.
Confirm and clearly state your residency in one of the eligible states (Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington DC, Wisconsin) in your application, as this is a hard requirement.
Demonstrate familiarity with Winrock's existing sustainability services and past projects (e.g., their work with USDA, USAID) to show genuine interest in the organization's mission.
If you have experience with temporary or project-based roles, mention your ability to hit the ground running and deliver results within a defined timeframe (until March 2027).
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your hands-on experience advising food and agriculture clients on decarbonization and regenerative agriculture, with specific examples of GHG reductions achieved.', "Your expertise in GHG calculation methodologies and standards (GHG Protocol, SBTi) and how you've applied them in practice.", 'Your ability to track and interpret evolving climate standards and translate them into actionable advice for clients.', "Your passion for Winrock's mission and how your background aligns with their work in sustainable development."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Explore Winrock International's Environment and Climate department and their Sustainability Services offerings, including any case studies or reports on regenerative agriculture and climate projects.
- → Learn about Winrock's history and mission, especially their work in agriculture and climate, to understand their approach and values.
- → Familiarize yourself with the latest developments in GHG Protocol, SBTi Corporate Net Zero Standard (Version 1), and other relevant frameworks like SBTi FLAG guidance.
- → Check out Winrock's recent news or publications to see what projects they are currently working on and how this role might contribute.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying without confirming eligibility to work in one of the specified states—this is a strict requirement and failure to meet it will disqualify you.
- Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn't address the specific technical aspects of the role, such as GHG accounting or regenerative agriculture.
- Underestimating the temporary nature of the role; avoid implying you're looking for a permanent position or expressing hesitation about the end date.
- Neglecting to mention experience with food, land, and agriculture (FLAG) sector clients, as this is a key differentiator for this role.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to Winrock International!